Day 519 Grand Cayman

I have been to Grand Cayman several times before this trip.  If you are wanting to see gorgeous sandy beaches, you won't find them here.  If you want to see me kissing the rays at Sting Ray City, you won't find it here.  If you want to hear about the booze cruise and gorgeous sail and snorkel from a catamaran, you also won't find it here.  Been there, done all of that.  When Len and I decided to book the Outlaw Country Cruise last fall, he had two goals in mind- see Roger Alan Wade and go visit his long time friend, Jerry, whom he hasn't seen in over 20 years.  Jerry and Len worked together as auto mechanics at Len's Uncle Rich's station many, many moons ago.  They had a lot of catching up to do.  

This was as close as we got to a beach while we
waited for Jerry to pick us up.  Through a mis-
communication from our trip to NJ, he didn't show up.
So, we took a cab to town to come up with Plan B.

We went to this shopping area near Jimmy
Buffett's Margaritaville in George Town.  While
Len got on wifi to search for a number for Jerry,
I went shopping for a magnet to add to my
collection on my fridge in my China apartment.
It was a good two hours of waiting while Len
tried to solve this conundrum. Before I looked
like this fella above, (who was waiting on his
wife to finish shopping!) I took to a bench in the sun.

Knowing that Jerry was a successful contractor in George Town, but having no address or phone number, or knowing his company's name, he finally had a stroke of genius to call the local builder's supply store.  He asked the clerk if they knew his friend Jerry, and did they have a phone number for him? They said yes, but they needed to speak with Jerry first to ask permission to give it out. Imagine his surprise when the store clerk called to ask him if he knew Len Olsen and could he come pick him up in town?! Jerry told the clerk to tell us to start walking, and he'd be there soon to pick us up; he was on a job site. Finally, success!

Jerry said he left NJ with $600 in his pocket
and headed for Grand Cayman.  He's been there
ever since, and has done quite well for himself.
He figures he's built about 55 homes on the island
over the years.  We got a tour of his latest project.

Jerry then took us back to his home for the
afternoon.  While the boys threw back some
cold ones, traded stories, and laughed the
day away....

  

Len told his own stories, sang and played guitar.

Jerry didn't realize Len was a singer/songwriter,
and soon he called his wife to come home from
work, and his crew to leave the job site to come
listen to his old buddy Len.

And so the afternoon went.  It was hysterical
hearing them tell stories of Uncle Rich and
the gas station- how they could have died or
been seriously injured on any given day. The
more they drank, the funnier they got.

I was entertained by Jerry's two youngest kids,
who kept catching and bringing me critters!

Yes, he had a pet rooster, that fell asleep on his lap!
Reminded me of Ken Hagemann from the Keys.
That damn rooster was on his back sound asleep, and
this boy was pedaling his legs like a bicycle- crazy!

Later he was seen crossing the road, chasing the missus
who was going to the other side :)

Len needed that afternoon with his friend, after having spent
the few days prior in NJ with his father who was terminal.
I'm glad that were able to reconnect, and that we made it
to the very last tender out to our cruise ship- whew!

G'nite, y'all!